


Double Done

by Shi_Toyu



Category: Iron Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Daemons, Daemon Separation, Daemons, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Golden Apple (mentioned), Hurt Loki, Hurt Tony Stark, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-25
Updated: 2016-12-25
Packaged: 2018-09-11 23:48:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9044432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shi_Toyu/pseuds/Shi_Toyu
Summary: When Loki was captured by Thanos, he sent his daemon as far away as he could... and it changed a few things.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PeaceHeather](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeaceHeather/gifts).



> Merry Christmas, PeaceHeather!
> 
> You may notice some familiar names... I admit to nothing! (That's a lie. I totally did it.)

Loki had been met with many betrayals throughout his life. A great number of them weren’t even intentional, which almost made it worse. The perpetrators were just too stupid or oblivious to realize what they were doing. After centuries of becoming accustomed to- to _expecting_ \- such betrayals, Loki knew unequivocally that there was only one being in all of the Nine Realms in whom he could trust. Loptr would never betray him, because she was a _part_ of him.

He supposed that his daemon manifesting as a snowy gryphon of Jotunheim should have given him some clue of his true heritage, but it wasn’t like it was unheard of to have daemons take the form of creatures in other realms. Thor’s daemon, Thrudr, was a giant Midgardian sow who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the Thunder god. He routinely drenched her hard-bristled coat in gold for court. Loptr never needed such decorations, just wore armor into battle.

Loptr was Loki’s constant, his steadying rock. He wasn’t sure he would have made it through Thanos’s torture without her. He’d sent her as far away as he could, of course, so that she couldn’t be harmed, but it was the promise of being with her again that had kept him going. He’d then proceeded to do what he did best, and lied and tricked and cheated his way out of Thanos’s clutches. He agreed to bring them the Tesseract, in exchange for being given Midgard.

The realm was important to the Nine Realms in that it held direct connections to each and every one of them. It was why the Frost Giants had wanted it, and why Odin had fought so bitterly to keep it from them. It was where he had sent Loptr, the _only_ place he could send her, and it was where he would go now. If he could just reunite with her, he could survive anything. Besides, going to Midgard would draw Odin’s attention and Odin would be far more equipped to deal with a threat such as Thanos. He had the power to call upon all of the Nine Realms to go to war, to protect their worlds.

Coming through the portal was a relief. Loptr wasn’t on the other side, but he could feel her so much stronger. It felt as though it had been centuries since he’d last held her and he ached to feel her fur and feathers beneath his fingers once more. He may have been one of the few throughout the Realms who could be afar from his daemon, but that did not mean they weren’t connected. This separation was still uncomfortable.

He took the Tesseract with him when he fled the facility. He did not trust these mortals with it. They had already proved their ineffectiveness as guardians. He claimed no responsibility for the lives lost in the building collapse. He did not cause that. It was their tampering with powers they had no right to that had caused those deaths.

Instead, Loki focused on Loptr’s energies. She would have felt him here. She’d be expecting his arrival and that meant she’d be keeping a space clear for him. He teleported to her side.

“Whoa- _holyshitballswhoareyou?_ ”

Loptr purred loudly as she pressed up against his side, her head coming level with his stomach.

“Hush, Anthony,” she chided the dark-haired mortal man who was sprawled across the couch. There was a curious blue-white light shining from his chest. “You have nothing to fear.”

The man grumbled something about surprises and a heart condition, but rose anyway. A crow flew down to settle on his shoulder as he held out a hand towards the god.

“You must be Loki, then. Loptr doesn’t normally get many visitors, and the whole randomly appearing out of thin air thing is kind of a dead giveaway for magic. Unless you’ve managed to invent a teleporter device, which I am absolutely not discounting. It’s just that I’ve been trying to invent that since MIT so I’m a little skeptical of someone else pulling it off first.”

Loki stared at the outstretched hand until Loptr nudged him with her head.

“You’re supposed to grasp it and shake up and down gently,” she informed him.

Reluctantly, Loki took the mortal’s hand, participating in the shake before quickly letting go.

“Right. Alien,” the man said. “Asgard, right? Nine Realms? It’s some pretty crazy stuff, but your daemon’s filled me in on most of it, and on… what’s kept you away, let’s call it. Do you need anything? Food? Sleep? A drink? I could definitely go for a drink. Let me get you a drink.”

The man moved across the stone floor and towards a bar. It gave Loki a chance to actually look at his surroundings. The view out of the many windows lining one wall revealing a vast city of metal. Whatever building they were in, it towered over many of the others, a palace.

“You always were attracted to power,” he murmured idly as one hand tangled in Loptr’s fur.

The shock was starting to set in now. Loki was away from Thanos, back with Loptr. He’d _done it_. He still had to stay out of the Titan’s clutches, but with the Tesseract in his possession Asgard would be arriving soon. He would be _free_. Even if they locked him in the dungeon and threw away the key, he would be free of Thanos’s designs for him.  And he would have Loptr at his side. He wasn’t sure he’d ever manage to part with her again.

Her shoulder against his hip pushed him gently towards the plush seating.

“You look like you’re about to collapse at any moment,” Loptr chided, her worry clear in her voice. “Sit down. The couch is very comfortable, I promise. Anthony only owns the best.”

Loki all but fell into the seat, Loptr crawling up into his lap. He clung to her desperately, his frame starting to shake. His fingers tangled into her fur as he pulled her closer.

“Loptr,” he gasped out brokenly.

“I’m here,” she promised. “I’m here, Loki. You’re here. You’re _safe._ ”

Loki curled around her and desperately tried to believe it. He didn’t notice as the mortal man and his crow slipped quietly out of the room.

.

..

…

..

.

“Anthony’s had it prepared for months,” Loptr was saying as she showed Loki the chambers that had been set aside for him. “We couldn’t know when you’d arrive but he wanted to make sure you were comfortable when you did. He didn’t think you should have to wait for anything.”

Loki gazed around the room with no small amount of wonder. Books filled the shelves along one wall, while wood-carved furniture, so unlike what had been in the space he’d first arrived in, was scattered pleasingly throughout the different rooms. It was truly a suite, with a seating area, a room with a writing desk, a spare room, and then finally the bed and bathing chambers. He’d been surprised to find items that were undoubtedly magical in origin, though he’d sensed no magic from the mortal he’d so briefly met. Could he have missed it? It was entirely possible. He wasn’t at the top of his game.

“Where did all of these come from?” he asked his daemon, picking up a bauble of rough gemstone and holding it up so he could get a better look at it. “Does Anthony use magic? Is he storing them here?”

Loptr flared her wings as she jumped up onto the bed, turning in circles a few times before settling in.

“Anthony is no sorcerer, though he is a creator like none other I have ever seen. He puts the dwarves to shame, though he has no access to the tools with which he could forge their wonders. No, Anthony found these things for _you_. With my help, of course. He was rather clueless about the existence of magic when I arrived, very skeptical of it, too.”

Loki set the stone down quickly.

“And what is it he wishes from us? He has given you sanctuary all of this time, set aside chambers, offered his paltry defenses, collected these items… You will have figured out what he wants by now, my soul. What is it?”

 Loptr bared her teeth at him in her approximation of a grin.

“Peace.”

“What?”

“He wishes for us to be at peace. I know you do not trust him, Loki. How could you? You do not know him and you have already been through so much. I have been here for months, though, and I am just as slow to trust others as you are. Do you trust me to have made a judgment about this mortal man?”

She wasn’t looking for an answer, but he nodded anyway.

“Tell me what you have decided.”

“He has been through a lot. He’s mortal, of course, so it’s been on a much smaller scale. He knows our pain, though. Anthony was taken, some time ago. He had no means to send Merla away. They _touched_ her, Loki, plucked out her feathers one-by-one,” she spat. “Anthony knows what it is like to feel that nowhere is safe. It was one of a trusted few that arranged for his torture, as well, so he knows what it is to be betrayed. He and Merla know _us_ , Loki. That is why they wish to help.”

“He does not know me.”

“But he has known me for months, during your captivity. To know me is to know you, dear one.”

Loki considered this.

“That cannot be all there is to it.”

“No, he feels that he must make up for things that are not his fault to begin with. Doubtlessly he sees this as just another way to make repayment.”

“He sounds to be a fool.”

Just like Thor and the others. Loki felt distaste well up at the mere thought.

“Perhaps,” Loptr allowed. “I will let you make your own judgments. After all, you do not know _them._ Not yet.”

Loki was not sure he wanted to.

.

..

…

..

.

Loki probably would not have left his chambers the next day if it weren’t for Lotpr’s insistence.

“Merla and I want to go flying,” she insisted over Loki’s protests. “Besides, the wind under your wings is exactly what you need. You’re _free_ , Loki. Don’t you want to feel like it?”

“What of the tesseract? I cannot protect it if I am not here,” he said, because he did not want to admit that he did not feel safe going out into the open air.

“There’s nowhere safer in this world than it sitting in that briefcase in your room. No one can get into Anthony’s tower who isn’t supposed to. I helped him add extra security, not that his wasn’t already impressive, for a mortal.”

Loki scowled at her.

“You seem quite enamored by this mortal man.”

Loptr gave him a toothy grin.

“You will be too, once you give him a chance. I’m sure of it.”

“So you have implied,” he grumbled, though he followed her to the elevator nonetheless.

That was another of the marvels Midgard had produced since last he was here. The doors slid closed behind them as they began their ascent.

“And what of your precious mortal man? How will he get by with the separation?”

“Oh, don’t worry about Anthony. He’s coming, too.”

Loki blinked.

“He can fly?”

“I told you, Loki. His inventions rival the dwarves’.”

.

..

…

..

.

Loki took the form of a Midgardian magpie for their outing, the better to blend in. Loptr had been right. Flying _did_ make him feel free. The numbers they were flying with made him feel safe, too. It wasn’t just him, Merla, Loptr, and Anthony, though the man’s shiny suit was _fascinating_. Apparently, Merla had befriended a whole murder of actual crows, not daemons, throughout Anthony’s lifetime. They all lived in or around the tower from which Anthony overlooked his city and now they moved through the sky like a black shadow. Loki blended in perfectly.

“This is great,” the mortal whooped happily. “You gotta love morning patrols.”

“I think it only counts as a patrol if you’re actually paying attention to what you’re flying past,” Loptr teased.

Merla cawed.

“JARVIS is running scans. He’ll let us know if we pass anything happening.”

“Of course, of course. Make JARVIS do all the work for you. I see how this is.”

Loki had thought JARVIS was just the spirit that ran Anthony’s tower. He would have to make a note to ask Loptr more about that when they returned and were out of the presence of others.

“Speaking of,” Anthony commented, “it looks like there’s a holdup at a convenience store down below. We’ll be back in a jiffy!”

He looped gracefully before plummeting towards the ground, the entire murder of crows following after him. Loptr looped lazily lower to perch on the edge of a building. She peered over the edge to watch as Anthony apprehended the robber.

“There is never a dull moment with him, at least.”

“Is that why you like him so much?”

“You do know how I love to be entertained. He reminds me of you, though.”

Loki ruffled his feathers in affront.

“There is little of this mortal I have seen that should call for such an insult.”

Loptr snapped her jaws playfully near his wing.

“I guess the question is, is it more of an insult to you or him?”

Loki cried his indignation, flapping his wings in her face.

“I can’t believe you would even suggest such a thing! I am clearly the far superior creature. I am a _god_ , Loptr.”

She pounced at him, his wings fluttering to keep him out of reach of her paws. Joy shone from every line of her body and Loki rejoiced in it. It had been _ages_ since they’d been able to play in such a manner.

“Cocky, aren’t you? Well, you should have little trouble besting _me_ then!”

They tumbled across the rooftop, dancing around each other. It was light hearted. It was _fun_. It was as if years had been wiped away for just a few minutes. He felt _alive_ again.

And then a blinding beam of light struck the roof just feet away from them. It was like a flip had been switched and all of Loki’s happiness had been drained away. He knew what this meant, even before the light cleared and left Thor and Thrudr in its place.

“ _Loki!_ ” Thor thundered, Mjolnir swinging in an arc as he swept his cape aside. “I know you are here!”

Thrudr snorted and stomped her hoof. Knowing it was pointless to try and hide, Loki shifted back to himself.

“Thor, I-“

“No lies, Loki! Father has sent me to take you back to Asgard where you will face punishment for your crimes.”

There was a heavy thunk behind Loki and a flutter of wings. Anthony’s suit strode forward to stand at his side.

“Let me guess, Thor? Yeah, I’m afraid you’re gonna have to get in line. Earth has got first dibs here and Loki is in _my_ custody at the moment. He’s appropriated some government property, you see, though the rightful ownership is a bit muddy. The legalities of it could go on for a little while. I’m afraid Loki’s gonna need to stick around here for the duration.”

Thor’s grip tightened around Mjolnir’s handle.

“You dare, mortal?”

“I dare what? Offer your ‘brother’ shelter? Attempt to help a victim of torture? Not bow down in awe of your almighty power? Yeah, I’d say I dare for all of that.”

“Asgard will not stand for such insult!”

“Then maybe Asgard should get some tougher skin. If you’re trying to intimidate me, you’re going to have to try harder than that. My butler growing up was more intimidating than you.”

Thor bellowed and launched himself at Anthony.

.

..

…

..

.

It took a while to sort everything out and, despite Loki’s initial distrust, Anthony was actually extremely helpful in making sure it went Loki’s way. Though Loki’s initial assessment that the mortal was some sort of king in this realm wasn’t precisely accurate, he still had a great deal of power. It was fantastical, really, to watch the way he danced between the politics of this realm as well as those of Asgard. Loptr had clearly given him some tips along the way. Anthony had even made the brilliant move of calling in Thor’s Lady Jane to keep the god both distracted and compliant. Truly, it was a feat of masterful manipulation.

He used Midgardian legal channels to reclaim the tesseract from SHIELD as his rightful property, since it had previously belonged to his father, and then gave it to Loki. His only explanation for that being, “Yeah, no. I’ve seen enough SciFi to know when something’s a bad idea to touch.” It was mystifying.

Then, of course, he’d turned around to handle the Thanos issue. Before Loki even knew it, there were political representatives from Asgard arriving. General Tyr arrived, along with several others. An effeminate magic user named Kisping, who Loki had never much encountered before, was sent along to assess Loki’s condition. He and Anthony seemed to get along like a house on fire and it was strangely irritating.

“You want him all to yourself,” Loptr teased, prompting him to scowl at her.

“I want no such thing. Mind yourself.”

His sharp tone had seemingly no effect on her, as per usual.

“Even a silver tongue such as yours can only lie to yourself for so long,” she told him. “Eventually you’re going to have to admit the truth.”

“And what is the truth, exactly? Do enlighten me.”

“Why, that Anthony’s not so bad after all. You like him, Loki. He intrigues you.”

That, at least, was a point he could give her.

“He is quite unlike anyone I have met before, yes. He is mortal, though. It is quite useless to get embroiled in any of their affairs. He won’t be around long enough to make much of a difference.”

Loptr snorted.

“I would argue that he already _has_.”

.

..

…

..

.

Thanos was destruction and death, rained down on any who crossed him. It took all of the realms together to face him down. They were lucky that they’d had an early enough warning to take the Infinity Stones and hide them away. Loki didn’t know how they could have faced him if they hadn’t had that advantage. Even with it, countless lives were lost. Anthony was very nearly one of them.

He’d fallen in battle, overwhelmed by sheer numbers. Loki and Loptr had stood over him, where he lay crumpled with Merla, and defended as best they could. Others joined them quickly, as there were many who counted themselves among Anthony’s allies, and he was soon removed from the battle. Loki and Loptr fought on, though they were glad the battle did not last much longer. They spent no time reveling in their victory, instead setting out to find the mortal who had made it all possible.

Lady Eir and Lady Runa, two of Asgard’s most skillful healers, were already at the mortal man’s bedside when Loki and Loptr arrived. Their faces were set to grim expressions that had Loki’s heart clenching in his chest.

“Surely it cannot be so bad,” he protested before either of them could say a word. “I have seen many a warrior take more grievance injury.”

The healers exchanged a look.

“The bodies of Midgardians are far more fragile than that of an As, my prince,” Lady Eir spoke, “and this mortal’s has been abused far more than the others we have examined. The device in his chest, too, makes it difficult for our spells of healing to take effect.”

Loki knew of that already. He and Anthony had discovered such while trying to experiment with combining Loki’s magic with Midgardian technology.

“Surely there is still something that can be done,” Loki insisted, a hint of desperation creeping into his voice. “This man _cannot_ be allowed to die.”

Lady Eir sniffed haughtily.

“You know I would never _allow_ anything of the sort, my prince, but there are limits to what even I can do.”

“We are doing all we can, though,” Lady Runa cut in. “We have asked Lady Idunn to come. She may be the only hope he has.”

Loki sucked in a sharp breath.

“Lady Idunn?” Loptr questioned from his side. “Does that mean…?”

“It means nothing yet,” Lady Eir said sharply. Her expression softened, though. “When we do know something, though, you will be the first we tell.”

Loki pulled himself together and nodded jerkily.

“See that you do,” he ordered. “If you will excuse me, I have duties to attend to.”

.

..

…

..

.

They did not ask Anthony before they gave him the golden apple that would make him immortal. Loki was torn between feeling grateful and a strange sensation of guilt. He’d had nothing to do with the decision himself, but he still felt as if he were somehow responsible. What if Anthony grew to regret his newfound immortality? Forever was a long time for a mortal, they were not meant for it. That is what the trials were for. Anthony’s trials had been waived by Odin. A boon, he called it, for the mortal’s services to the Nine Realms.

Loki hadn’t been able to make himself visit the mortal since he’d heard. What would he even say? Instead, he threw himself into the recovery of the Realms. There was destruction everywhere and a limitless need for help. He could keep himself occupied for centuries if he wanted to. Easily.

Loptr had other ideas, though.

“You have to go see him,” she insisted.

“Whatever for? There is no need for it any longer. Our roles no longer coincide.”

The look she gave him could have curdled Midgardian dairy.

“Either come with me to see him, or I’m going without you,” she threatened, and, really, there was no way for Loki to refuse that.

.

..

…

..

.

Anthony was still in bed when Loki and Loptr arrived, and he looked utterly mutinous about it. Merla was tucked into his side, but perked up as soon as she noticed the new arrivals. Anthony was more focused on Lady Runa.

“But _when_ can I leave?” he was asking. “I have too much to do to be stuck in here much longer. Do you have any idea how far behind I am?”

“You nearly _died_ , Sir Stark. Even with the apple, your body needs time to heal.”

His expression darkened.

“Oh, yes. The _apple._ ”

Going by the general air of the medical tent, this was not the first time this conversation had been had. Loki cleared his throat to bring himself to the attention of the room.

“Am I interrupting anything?”

Anthony went from scowling to beaming in a heartbeat.

“Loki! Where have you been? I haven’t seen you or Loptr since the battle. I was starting to think that I was being lied to about you two making it.”

Lady Runa’s scowl intensified, likely because of the implied slight to her honor.

“Well, as you can see we are alive and well. I escaped the battle with no more than a few lacerations and burns.”

Anthony was still grinning at him fondly and the warmth of it drew Loki in closer. Loptr leapt onto the bed to settle on the blanket covering Anthony’s legs. Her rumbling purr could doubtlessly be heard from the other side of the tent.

“I heard you and Loki are the only reasons I made it out of there at all,” the genius said to her. “I suppose that means I owe you both a thank you.”

“It is nothing compared to what we owe you,” Loki bid him.

Loptr rolled her eyes, a nasty habit she’d picked up over her time on Midgard.

“Bilgesnipes could not have dragged us away,” she informed him. "You’re _ours_ , Anthony. Both of you, are.”

Merla cooed happily as she hopped over to burrow into Loptr’s side.

“Does that mean you’re going to break us out of here?” she asked.

“They most certainly are _not_ ,” Lady Runa said with a stern glare. She then followed it up bowing her head to Loki. “I will make myself scarce, my prince, but I fully expect my patients to still be here when I return.”

She leveled him with a look that had curtailed many misadventures during his youth. Loki offered her a reassuring smile.

“I will see to it that he remains in his quarters.”

“In his _bed_ ,” she insisted. “He should not be walking around for another few days.”

Anthony stuck his tongue out at her back as she left.

“I’m being held captive,” he complained as soon as she was out of sight. “Help me, Loki-Wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope!”

Loki gave him a thin smile as he settled down on the edge of Anthony’s plush bed.

“Lady Runa is highly revered among the healers of Asgard, second only to Lady Eir herself,” he informed the man. “If she says it is for the best that you stay in bed, then I am inclined to believe her.”

Anthony groaned.

“But I have things to _do_!”

“Then allow me to help you with that. Do not forget that I have stood by your side through all of this so far, Anthony, and I have centuries of experience with diplomacy past that.”

“I can’t ask that of you. You’ve already done so much. We wouldn’t even have known what was coming if it weren’t for you. You’ve suffered more than anyone.”

Loki gave him a wry smirk.

“If there is a way in which I can assist you, it will be no sufferance at all. Now, come. I am at your service, what is it you wish of me?”

.

..

…

..

.

They worked well together, but Loki already knew that. It was kind of nice, too, to be trusted to take care of things. On Asgard, it had been some time since he had been truly trusted by his fellows in court. He was self-aware enough to know that he had a good deal to do with why that was, but that did not mean he didn’t enjoy still being of use. What was even better was that Anthony did not question him for even an instant.

He believed Loki in whatever information the god brought in. He also didn’t try to coach Loki through whatever task he was helping with. There was no pandering, no condescension. If Anthony hadn’t already been Loki’s favorite, he would have been quickly added to the position. Even better, Anthony would get snippy if anyone _else_ questioned Loki. It was a clear display of loyalty and that was _always_ appreciated.

When Anthony was finally able to leave the medical tent, he traveled with Loki back to Midgard. It was his home, after all, and he felt much better being there than on some far-off realm. Loki wasn’t sure exactly what to expect, but he was pleased to find that the genius still fully expected Loki and Loptr to continue staying with him. While he went back to acting as an ambassador of sorts for Midgard, he didn’t take away any of the duties he’d passed along to Loki. He gave the god plenty of opportunity to give them up if he wanted to, but he was clear that such a thing was not at all required.

Things were good. They were better than Loki could ever remember them being, even. For the first time in what felt like forever, he actually felt at peace. It was a good feeling. It was also why he was so startled when Loptr threw an absolute _fit_ one day out of nowhere.

“That’s it! I can’t take this anymore,” she hissed aggressively.

Loki froze in the middle of wrestling Anthony to the floor in an attempt to get the small talisman away from the genius.

“Loptr?”

“No! This has gone on long enough!”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Merla spoke up from her perch, where her feathers were noticeably ruffled. “Please, do us all a favor and just kiss already, would you? All of this sexual tension is giving me hives.”

“Yes, that. Thank you,” Loptr rejoined. “It’s been literally over a _decade_ , you idiots. How have you managed to completely not notice?”

Loki opened his mouth to protest only to realize that he was currently kneeling between Anthony’s thighs, holding his wrists to the ground with one hand as he attempted to pry open the genius’s fingers with the other. The flush rising on Anthony’s cheeks indicated that he’d come to the same realization.

“Uh…” was the genius’s oh so elegant reaction.

Loki leaned in a little bit closer.

“You know,” he mused, “in my experience, Loptr almost always knows best.”

One of Anthony’s brows rose.

“Only almost?”

There was a mischievous gleam in Anthony’s eye.

“It is a very small almost.”

“And what about this time?” he challenged. “What do you think about this time? I mean, she _does_ have Merla on her side.”

“I think they have proposed a very interesting theory,” he said, grin spreading across his face. “And you know what must be done with theories.”

Anthony’s grin matched his own.

“They must be tested.”

So, of course, Loki kissed him.

**Author's Note:**

> Meet Loptr!
> 
>  
> 
> [](http://s1175.photobucket.com/user/mmhannaford/media/snowy_gryphon_by_kfcemployee-d9o7pjm_zpsrebdukm7.jpg.html)  
> 


End file.
